Time before meals/ T3+T4 Blood tests

[cezary97]

Hello,

For the past 2 months, I've been on T4 Tirsoint Sol 75 + T3 Thybon 10mcg.

My recent blood tests have been great.

TSH - 1.07 ulU/ml - 0.27-4.20

FT4 - 1.45 ng/dl - 0.93-1.70

FT3 - 3.31 pg/ml -2.02-4.43

I've been feeling a bit sluggish lately and cold especially in the arms and legs, going for blood tests soon.

Is there any priority on which thyroid medication I take first? Or can I take both T3 and T4 at the same time? Or T4 and after some time to take T3?

Do I have to wait an "x" amount of time before eating? As the company that makes Tirosint Sol (T4) says you don't have to wait before eating as it's in gel form and you can eat immediately after taking the meds.

Does the body get used to T3 and require more? When I was starting it I was hot all the time and energetic and now I don't really see that big of a difference. When I started for the first time I had some heart palps but my endo said it was normal and after a few weeks it went away.

Just trying to find the culprit as I still have 2 weeks till my next blood test, I may not need it at all if I manage to somehow feel better. I normally take T4 with T3 in the morning, and then some more T3 in the afternoon to give me an energy boost. So 10mcg divided into 2 doses, 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon, roughly 4 hours in between.

Appreciate any help/responses, thanks.

[greygoose]

Hi cezary97, welcome to the forum.

Can you add the ranges (reference intervals) to your results, please? Because they vary from lab to lab and we need those that came with your results.

Is there any priority on which thyroid medication I take first? Or can I take both T3 and T4 at the same time?

You can take T4 and T3 at the same time, no problem.

Do I have to wait an "x" amount of time before eating? As the company that makes Tirosint Sol (T4) says you don't have to wait before eating as it's in gel form and you can eat immediately after taking the meds.

I'm afraid I have no idea how gels work after you swallow them, so can't comment on that. The important thing is that the T4 and certain elements like calcium or caffeine don't meet up in the stomach. I would have thought that the gel would melt in the stomach, releasing the hormone, which could then bind with these elements reducing absorption in the gut. But I don't really know.

Does the body get used to T3 and require more?

Sort of. At first, the body is happy to get extra T3 and you feel great. But, then, it realises that it's still not enough, and symptoms return, and you need to increase your dose. But, you will reach a point where it is enough, and the symptoms won't return, and you won't need to increase your dose any further.

Just trying to find the culprit as I still have 2 weeks till my next blood test, I may not need it at all if I manage to somehow feel better.

Oh, you will always need it! You can never come off thyroid hormone replacement (levo/T3/NDT) You will feel better because you are taking it. Feeling better does not mean you can come off it. That would make you feel much, much worse!

[cezary97 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you, just added the lab ranges. What would be more beneficial to increase? T4 or T3?

[greygoose in reply to cezary97]

TSH - 1.07 ulU/ml - 0.27-4.20

FT4 - 1.45 ng/dl - 0.93-1.70 67.53%

FT3 - 3.31 pg/ml -2.02-4.43 53.53%

Well, your FT3 could be a lot higher, so I'd increase the T3, if it were me.

Your TSH is still pretty high for someone taking T3.

[cezary97 in reply to greygoose]

How would I go about increasing the T3, should I go from 10mcg to 15mcg? And how often? Like 10mcg in the morning and then 5mcg in the afternoon? Or 5mcg every few hours?

[greygoose in reply to cezary97]

Yes, you can't increase by more than 5 mcg in one go. But, when you take it is entirely up to you. Whatever is convenient and makes you feel good.

[cezary97 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you, will try 15mcg

[greygoose in reply to cezary97]

You're welcome.